A. Namdar, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 22 (2012) 26-30; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.22.

04

Natural minerals mixture for enhancing concrete

compressive strength

Abdoullah Namdar
Faculty of Civil Engineering & Earth Resources, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia
ab_namdar@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT. The construction material quality is required to be improved in order to enhancing structure
stability, optimizing construction cost and quality. The kaolin and bentonite have been mixed in equal quantity
and treated by heat for 1 hour under 600 ºC, 800 ºC and 1000 ºC to create new minerals under high temperature
condition to introduce an acceptable concrete additive for achieving concrete compressive strength in early age.
To study micro properties of additive-cement mixture, X-ray and FESEM experiments have been used. The
results indicate that acceptable proportion of unheated kaolin-bentonite is improving the concrete compressive
response. But if kaolin-bentonite mixture treated by heat under 800 ºC and in quantity of 12 % has been used in
concrete mixed design, then the concrete compressive strength of 7 days shows the best result. The result is due
to the development of new minerals under high temperature condition in mineral mixture and also kaolin-
bentonite additive change cement past crystal and lead to enhancement of nano structural cement bonding.

KEYWORDS. Concrete additive; Kaolin; Bentonite; Heat treatment; New minerals.

INTRODUCTION

T he use of high-fast strength concrete has many applications, both technical and economical. Over last decade, the
high strength concrete in short time was very important issue for researcher. The reconnaissance on economically
and feasibility concrete additive is highly significant in construction industry.
A high strength concrete is introduced by using large volumes of low calcium as an additive and compressive strength of
80 MPa was for 28 days [1]. The various chemical and supplementary cementitious materials are investigated on
improvement concrete compressive strength [2-3]. And also fly ash, bottom ash and coarse aggregate mechanical
properties and quality are evaluated for enhancement of concrete compressive strength [4-7]. The natural minerals are
shown good results among other techniques. The investigation show natural minerals are improved concrete compressive
strength and cement geopolymer [8-11]. From other view of point the investigation on materials macroscopic quality and
minerals in concrete mix design is important topic for construction industry [12-13]. For example geopolymers can be
synthesized from aluminosilicate powders including natural pozzolans [14-15]. The replacing cement by mineral additions
resulted in lower early age strength and low cement quantity consumption [16]. The modern construction projects are
trust to high strength concrete [17]. To optimize admixture cost and better improvement concrete characteristics many
methods have been introduced [18-20]. The natural minerals mixture treatment by heat to develop new minerals based on
kaolin-benonite interaction minerals in high temperature for produced new materials which can be useful as a concrete
additive in concrete mixed design process have been investigated in order to improve concrete compressive strength in
short term for minimizing construction time and cost.

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 A. Namdar, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 22 (2012) 26-30; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.22.04

METHODOLOGY

T he natural minerals have ability in producing new material or modifying characteristics of materials. In this
research work the kaolin and bentonite have been selected for improve concrete compressive strength. The kaolin
and bentonite have been mixed in equal weight and subjected to the heat for 1 hour for 600 ºC, 800 ºC and 1000
ºC. The main propose for mixing kaolin and bentonite before submitting to heat is to analysis minerals of kaolin and
bentonite interaction in high temperatures. The unheated and new produced materials have been mixed with concrete for
6% and 12% of cement weight (Tab. 1). The compressive strength of concrete for 7 days and 14 days has been tested. To
study macro properties of additive-cement mixture X-ray experiment and FESEM have been used.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

I n Figs. 1-3 the image of FESEM shows Nano particles of cement past without additive and, when 6% and 12%
additive have been used in concrete mixed design. In Fig. 1 the Nano particle have almost plane shape and in Fig. 2
the shape is convert to the lengthy shape and in Fig. 3 this process is increased, and subsequently resulted in
improving concrete compressive strength. The additive creates new crystal structure in cement past. The result is indicated
that 6% proportion of unheated kaolin-bentonite is improving concrete compressive. And if kaolin-bentonite mixture
treated by heat under 800 ºC and in quantity of 12 % of cement weight has been used in concrete mixed design the
concrete compressive strength of 7 days is resulted in improving concrete compressive strength in maximum level. It is
due to develop new crystal morphology under high temperature condition in bentonite-kaolin-cement mixture and also
considerably enhancement bonding of cement. If quantity of bentonite-kaolin mixture treated by heat increased in
concrete mixed design resulted in better enhancement compressive strength, and it is not for unheated bentonite-kaolin
mixture.

Figure 1: Image FESEM of cement. Figure 2: Image FESEM of cement mixed with 6% additive.

Figure 3: Image FESEM of cement mixed with 12% additive.

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A. Namdar, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 22 (2012) 26-30; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.22.04

The Fig. 4 is highlighted XRD pattern of cement, and cement- kaolin-bentonite mixture, the kaolin-bentonite was
submitted to 800 ºC heat for 1 hour. The XRD pattern shown that Ca(OD) is converted to Ca(OH)2 but no significant
change in XRD pattern in increasing kaolin-bentonite mixture from 6% to 12% in concrete mixed design.
The Tab. 2 and Fig. 5 show the result of different mixed design for compressive strength of concrete. The result is
indicated appropriate proportion of natural minerals mixture can improve concrete compressive strength without and
treatment process.

Additive
Additive Additive
Sl Con Unheated produced
produced by produced by
No type additive (%) by 600 ºC
800 ºC (%) 1000 ºC (%)
(%)

1 40 - - - -
2 40 6 - - -
3 40 12 - - -
4 40 - 6 - -
5 40 - 12 - -
6 40 - - 6 -
7 40 - - 12 -
8 40 - - - 6
9 40 - - - 12

Table 1: Concrete-additive mixture ratio.

7 days 14 days
Sl No Type of concrete Additive (%)
Stress (N/mm2) Stress (N/mm2)
1 Without additive - 25.77 30.48
2 Natural additive 6 33.65 34.50
3 Natural additive 12 21.87 28.44

Additive produced under

4 6 18.70 33.07
600 ºC heat

Additive produced under

5 12 25.14 40.19
600 ºC heat

Additive produced under

6 6 30.95 35.15
800 ºC heat

Additive produced under

7 12 40.32 42.39
800 ºC heat

Additive produced under

8 6 27.05 31.70
1000 ºC heat

Additive produced under

9 12 31.97 33.44
1000 ºC heat

Table 2: Concrete compression strength.

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 A. Namdar, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 22 (2012) 26-30; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.22.04

Figure 4: XRD pattern of cement, and cement-kaolin-bentonite mixture, the kaolin-bentonite was submitted to 800 ºC heat for 1
hour.

Figure 5: Concrete compressive strength.

CONCLUSION

 The FESEM image indicated changing crystal structure of cement past is responsible for enhancing concrete
compressive strength.
 The proportion of additive before subjected to heat has different effect on concrete compressive strength compare to
when additive is modified under high level of heat.
 The quantity of 12% additive produced by 800 ºC heat has shown best result in improving concrete compressive
strength.
 The amount of 6% additive not subjected to the heat has shown acceptable result in improving concrete compressive
strength.
 Increasing bentonite-kaolin mixture which was treated by heat in concrete mixed design resulted in better
enhancement compressive strength.

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A. Namdar, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 22 (2012) 26-30; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.22.04

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